November 27
Scripture: Matt 5:23-24
Source author: Ila Reed
November 27
Reconciliation Begins at Home So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. —Matthew 5:23–24
I asked our youth pastor to invite Jon to church this week,” Dan told me. Dan and his teen, Jon, had experienced a falling out, and Jon had gone to live with his mother. Months later, Dan still fumed about disrespectful words his son had said, and he hadn’t talked to Jon since then. But now Dan’s church was having a special teen night and Dan wanted Jon there. “Dan, it’s not the youth pastor’s responsibility,” I gently pointed out. “It’s yours. Why don’t you call Jon and invite him.” “But he was so rude to me!” Dan said. “And he’s never said he’s sorry.” “Yeah, but he’s a kid,” I reminded Dan. “He doesn’t know how to apologize. He needs you to show him how to mend the broken relationships in life.” Dan ended up calling Jon. Jon came to the event, and their relationship was eventually transformed.
The first step to reconciliation is the willingness to breach the gap. — Ila Reed —